One of the beautiful things about business in the Internet age is that it's finally possible to create something from nothing. Take YouTube for example. In 2005, founders, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim created an online video archive where users could download and upload footage for free. The company sold to Google for $1.65 billion. MySpace, EBay, and even Google are all examples where a few bright individuals took a great idea, married it with the Internet, and turned that it into a lucrative empire in a relatively short amount of time.

Online Schools

What did all of these successful individuals have that you don't? As it turns out, not much. A solid education, strong critical thinking skills, creativity, and vision seem to be the main ingredients for success in today's high-tech business world. The good news is that almost all of these things can be acquired or developed with a college education. Even better, thanks to the increased popularity of online schooling, a college education can be secured almost exclusively online. Online business schools have gained substantial ground in recent years due to their tremendous popularity, unparalleled convenience, and diverse curricula.

Selecting the Right Online College

Although attending an online college that specializes in business or information technology is certainly a great way to go if you want to follow in the footsteps of Hurley, Chen, and Karim, you don't necessarily need to specialize in these two areas in order to become an Internet success story. As mentioned, critical thinking, creativity, and vision are the driving forces behind many of the major successes these days.

So you could shop for online schools that train you in almost any liberal arts area imaginable. Pick an online college that can prepare you to work in psychology. Check out online schools that can teach you everything you need to know about hotel management. Look for online programs that offer training specific to rising forms of education, such as online elementary schools. The point is, by going online to take classes, interact with peers, receive feedback from professors, and master time management, you can quickly develop a professional work ethic that you can then parlay into a successful career in the real or virtual world.